The Hunger Games
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Has the love triangle tarnished the true themes of The Hunger Games?
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I agree completely with this, too often in YA important parts are over shadowed by some stupid love story. There was also a thread somewhere I saw suggesting that the Hunger Games be made into a video game. I swear, I almost wept.
I agree that Gale and Peeta stand largely as symbols in my mind as different forms that resistance against totalitarian government(the Capital) can take. Peeta rebels against the Capital by loving Katniss, and trying to protect her, while Gale helps lead the Rebellion in war.When I talk to people and all they care about is which guy is better looking, I'm like, you missed the entire point of the story;how could you have read the books!
Small comment: It's not a true love triangle if one character can choose between two people but these two people can only choose one person. It's more like a 'everyone wants the girl' situation. Triangles work differently.
No, that's a triangle.
Frankly, I think this is a storm in a teacup. Firstly, humans are humans, therefore the existance of a love triangle against the backdrop of overwhelming events is authentic to the fact that we don't shut down our hearts just cos bigger fish are frying.
Secondly, for all you complain about the triangle you DO seem to have an opinion on the characters involved in the context of romance, therefore no matter how ubiquitous in YA books, this one has roped you into the debate - even if your opinion is "neither".
Thirdly, we live in an age where LOADS of people read zero books in the average year. Even if the romance were an empty token to appeal to the market, I'd say faster pussycat, kill! The quality of the writing around the plot device would be lost if this were some niche, unknown work. Now I'll happily damn Stephanie Mayer for her works, but that's because, IMHO, she is a crap author...not to mention batshit crazy. I'll happily forgive an author with an intelligent voice one crowd pleasing device.
@Sorrel - some kind of weird judgement going on in your post. Weep at the suggestion of a video game? FYI, a well-made game can offer much more nuanced themes and certainly more personal identification with those themes and choices than a movie...arguably, even than a book (although that's only arguable - for me, you immerse equivalently in a book as the movie's being painted on your own personal screen, it's just that in a game you have ownership of the choices and consequences...IF it's done right)
Thanks for your input, Natalie! We need people few of words like you.
I am slightly late🤣 and watched the four parts just now. I think they made the relationship triangle so complex that could not resolve it naturally.. making Gale a monster is completely out of character and looked silly to say the least .. The other guy is not convincing at all throughout the series ... maybe it is bad acting but nothing he does evokes passion😀
I’m late as well, but YES. I read the first one, and I was sooo disappointed, it had so much potential but NO. ROMANCE IS MORE IMPORTANT. >:(
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The Hunger Games is a great book; truly, it is well written, intelligent, deep, observational and thought provoking. But when I read the books (about 5 years ago), I was left disappointed and pissed off. Why?
Katniss/Peeta/Gale.
Love triangles have become a prerequisite for YA novels. Originally, SC planned for Gale to be Katniss's cousin, but her editor encouraged her to change this to a "romantic interest" to appeal to the drones of YA readers, solely interested in hot guys and bad romance.
The Hunger Games has GREAT themes of government oppression, rebellion of the lower class, and society revolting. But, instead of fans discussing these issues - and applying them to modern society - we have forums of "Who did Katniss love more?" or "Team Peeta vs Team Gale". And it doesn't stop there. I have seen shirts sporting these logos, memes (now focusing on Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutchison as soul mates - yeah, thanks Pinterest).
I was furious when I read the Hunger Games, because I saw so much potential, originality, and sheer AWESOMENESS, but it had been tarnished for some fucking trend. Seriously? A premise of war, rebellion and civil justice is overshadowed by teen-love.
I'm pretty sure it's in Mockinjay when Katniss, now the symbol is hope and a revolution and on the cusp of war, is conflicted over how she feels about these two pathetic boys. One is angry and reckless, the other... just plain boring (honestly, I never saw the appeal in Peeta, and always knew out BAMF Heroine would end up with this... blah). I remember reading it and thinking "DAMN IT, GIRL! SORT OUT YOUR PRIORITIES!"
Seriously... here, out BAMF heroine has been rendered to the same, whining girl in every other YA novel. This is Katniss's low moment of being on par with Bella Swan. Thanks for that.
Alexis wrote: "The Katniss/Peeta/Gale relationship is an allegory for approaches to and thoughts about war, rebellion, social engagement, etc. so the relationships are at the core of the trilogy's purpose and depth. Collins is a smart writer and didn't just insert these characters, or the purported triangle (which really isn't one) arbitrarily. Each character plays an important role in the reader's understanding of meaty issues such as war, media saturation, socioeconomic status, class and race issues etc. "
And I agree with her - I think SC's intention was to have these two boys as allegories. But it could have been just as well executed, if not better, if Gale was still Katniss's cousin. You know, blood and family vs some guy you're pretending to love?
But no matter how someone tries to justify the love triangle (no matter how eloquent or convincing), the majority won't give a damn. Because whenever someone tries to give YA readers some credit, a high percentage of readers prove that all their capable of honing in on are the shallow things: predictably conflicted romance and the subjective attractiveness of the leading man.